I strongly prefer jobs that can't be had with a 10 minute interview. 

I would interview a handful of real estate agents and find one that is investor-friendly. 

I just spoke with a contractor and he referred me to an architect, I'd like to interview a view to get there vision and pick the idea I like the best.

That can include interviewing, hiring, holding accountable, reviewing and all of the decision making that goes into your processes.  

- If I do go this route, should I try to have the pet interview at the applicants current home, so I can see how it's held up?

Just make sure you find someone who has similar lifestyle as you (noise/cleanliness/etc) - vet them just like you would a normal tenant and interview to get a sense of their personality.3) I purchased in 2015 so prices were lower than now (from a cashflow perspective), so may be harder to attain now, but the other 2 units + 2 parking spaces paid for all the expenses w/approx $400 left over... but I also sacrificed area to get a good deal/income I wanted. 

I have spent the last few months learning and trying to educate myself, and will be interviewing a few RE agents tomorrow, hoping to find someone that will be a good fit.What questions should I be sure to ask when interviewing potential agents that will help me find out whether or not it's someone that will actually assist me on this path?

He will talk to other contractors in the area and it will become harder for you to find good contractors.As a former contractor, when I walked into a home, I was interviewing the homeowner as much as they were interviewing me.  

I had a lot interviews lined up, but most of them were for 'sales' types of positions, and required experience.

Sam Zell just gave an interview on Bloomberg about the oil & gas sector, but it's comparable to REI in this regard of a frozen market.